Projection exposure apparatus and optical system

ABSTRACT

The disclosure relates to a projection exposure apparatus and an optical system, such as a projection objective or an illumination system in a projection exposure apparatus for microlithography, that includes at least one optical element and at least one manipulator having a drive device for the optical element. The drive device can have at least one movable partial element and at least one stationary partial element movable relative to one another in at least one direction of movement.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of, and claims benefit under 35 USC120 to, international application PCT/EP2007/007448, filed Aug. 24,2007, which claims benefit of German Application No. 10 2006 039 821.1,filed Aug. 25, 2006 and U.S. Ser. No. 60/823,543, filed Aug. 25, 2006.International application PCT/EP2007/007448 is hereby incorporated byreference in its entirety.

FIELD

The disclosure relates to a projection exposure apparatus and an opticalsystem, such as a projection objective or an illumination system in aprojection exposure apparatus for microlithography, that includes atleast one optical element and at least one manipulator having a drivedevice for the optical element. The drive device can have at least onemovable partial element and at least one stationary partial elementmovable relative to one another in at least one direction of movement.

BACKGROUND

Optical systems, such as those used a projection objective or anillumination system in a projection exposure apparatus formicrolithography, are known. In some optical systems, a drive device,operated with piezoelectric elements can be used to help achieve desiredimaging accuracy by active positioning of optical elementscorrespondingly provided with a drive device. In some instances, imageaberrations can be addressed in this way. In certain cases, anarrangement of piezoelectric elements have been combined to form stacks,where one part of the piezoelectric elements has its direction of actionperpendicular to the direction of movement and a second part has itsdirection of action parallel to the direction of movement.

SUMMARY

The present disclosure provides an optical system such as a projectionobjective or an illumination system in a projection exposure apparatusfor microlithography, having a manipulator having a linear drive withpiezoelectric elements. Optionally, the piezoelectric elements can beused to move an optical element in multiple degrees of freedom and overrelatively large travel distances.

In some embodiments, the disclosure provides a projection exposureapparatus, such as for microlithography, including optical elements andat least one manipulator having a drive device for at least one opticalelement.

In certain embodiments, the disclosure provides a method using anexposure apparatus.

Some embodiments involve precisely three drive devices acting on thecircumference of the optical element in such a way that displacements insix degrees of freedom become possible.

The displacement or movement possibilities for an optical element to bemanipulated can be increased by the division of the piezoelectricelements in three directions of action. Thus, alongside displacements inthe direction of the Z-axis and tiltings relative to the Z-axis,movements in a plane perpendicular to the Z-axis are also possible. Inthis way, alongside Z-displacements, displacements of the opticalelement that are orthogonal with respect thereto are now also possible.

Relatively large travel distances also become possible withpiezoelectric elements that are advantageous.

In certain embodiments, such as when the angle lies at leastapproximately at a right angle with respect to the direction of movementor of action of the second part of piezoelectric elements, an opticalelement to be manipulated can be moved very precisely (e.g., in theX-/Y-plane).

In certain embodiments, sufficiently stable and precise movement can beachieved by providing at least three stacks of piezoelectric elementswhich are arranged at a distance from one another.

In some embodiments, an analog movement during guidance of the movablepart can be achieved if at least three stacks of piezoelectric elementsare arranged at a distance from one another.

In certain embodiments, a reliable step-by-step movement of the movablepartial element can be achieved when at least six stacks ofpiezoelectric elements which are arranged at a distance from one anotherare provided. In such embodiments, each stack can be provided with acorresponding number of piezoelectric elements, wherein each stack iscomposed of three elements arranged in differently oriented fashion andthus permits all three directions of action.

Optionally, each stack piezoelectric elements can be activated only inone or only in two directions of action. In such instances,piezoelectric elements of the different stacks can be activated in acoordinated manner by corresponding driving.

In some embodiments, the movable partial element is between twostationary partial elements arranged opposite one another. Such anarrangement can help allow for relatively precise guidance andrelatively exact movement.

In certain embodiments, precisely three drive devices are distributeduniformly over the circumference of the optical element. The three drivedevices include stacks of piezoelectric elements as direct drives whichcan be activated independently of one another. Such an arrangement canachieve not only the three translational degrees of freedom but also inaddition three rotational degrees of freedom, that is to say in totaltherefore six degrees of freedom. This means that tiltings or rotationsin each case about the X-/Y- or Z-axis additionally become possible aswell. To achieve this, each of the three drive devices can be arrangedin a manner distributed over the circumference is provided with at leastin each case three stacks of piezoelectric elements which are thenactivated correspondingly differently for tiltings or rotations.

One of the main areas of use of the optical system is projectionexposure apparatuses for microlithography and in this context projectionobjectives or illumination devices, since accuracies in the nanometersrange are desired in this case.

However, the disclosure is also suitable, in principle, as an adjustingdevice of a general type for a wide variety of elements to be adjusted.This holds true, for example, for the cases where an adjustment isintended to be effected with extremely high precision and withrelatively large distances, such as, for example, measuring and testingequipment in a wide variety of technical fields.

One of the essential advantages is that the piezoelectric elements,given corresponding driving, can implement step-by-step travel distancesand thus practically a “crawling” of the part to be moved (e.g., anoptical element) over a relatively long distance.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Various embodiments and advantages will become apparent from thedisclosure in conjunction with the figures, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a basic illustration of a projection exposure apparatus formicrolithography;

FIG. 2 shows a basic illustration of a linear drive with piezoelectricelements;

FIG. 3 shows an enlarged illustration of a stack with piezoelectricelements from FIG. 2 in accordance with excerpt enlargement X;

FIG. 4 shows a three-dimensional illustration of a movable partialelement with 6 piezo-stacks;

FIGS. 5 a to 5 f show various illustrations of movement stages of amovable partial element;

FIG. 6 shows a plan view of a lens with three linear drives;

FIG. 7 shows a plan view of a lens mounted in an outer mount with adecoupling example and a possibility of adjustment in six degrees offreedom;

FIG. 8 shows a fixing example for a drive device;

FIG. 9 shows a plan view of a lens with a mount with monolithicdecoupling;

FIG. 10 shows a basic illustration of a linear drive with piezoelectricelements, similar to the illustration according to FIG. 2 for largerotational movements; and

FIG. 11 shows a side view of a mounting for a lens in a mount withweight force compensation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A projection exposure apparatus is illustrated in principle in FIG. 1(e.g., for microlithography for the production of semiconductorelements). Many general aspects of such an apparatus are known and aredisclosed, for example, in DE 102,25,266 A1.

The projection exposure apparatus 1 has an illumination device 3, adevice 4 for receiving and exactly positioning a mask provided with agrating-like structure, a so-called reticle 5, which determines thelater structures on a wafer 2, a device 6 for retaining, moving andexactly positioning the wafer 2, and an imaging device in the form of aprojection objective 7.

Since the structures introduced into the reticle 5 are exposed on thewafer 2 in demagnified fashion, in general, very stringent propertiesare desired with regard to resolution and precision are made of theimaging device 7, namely the projection objective. Typically, the rangeof a few nanometers is involved.

The illumination device 3 provides a projection beam 8 for the imagingof the reticle 5 on the wafer 2. A laser can be used as a source of theradiation. An image of the reticle 5 is generated by the projection beam8 and is demagnified by the projection objective 7 and subsequentlytransferred to the wafer 2.

A multiplicity of transmissive and/or refractive and/or diffractiveoptical elements such as, for example, lenses, mirrors, prisms,terminating plates and the like are arranged in the projection objective7.

One or more optical elements arranged in the projection objective 7 areprovided with one or more manipulators 9. A manipulator 9 isschematically illustrated in FIG. 1 together with a lens 10 to bemanipulated.

The manipulator 9 includes a linear drive as drive device 11, by which amovable partial element 12 fixedly connected to the optical element 10,for example the mount of the lens 10, can be moved relative to a partialelement 13 fixedly connected to the projection objective 7. The partialelement 13 can be for example an outer mount or a part of the objectivehousing.

The drive device 11, which is illustrated only schematically in FIG. 1,is illustrated in detail in FIGS. 2 to 4. As can be seen, the movablepartial element 12 is arranged between two stationary partial elements13 lying opposite one another. Between the movable partial element 12and the two stationary partial elements 13, which can also be embodiedin one piece, four stacks 15, including piezoelectric elements 14 whichare arranged on each side are situated in a manner lying opposite oneanother. The stacks 15 are arranged at a distance from one another and,for a precise guidance or displacement of the movable partial element12, should as far as possible also be arranged precisely opposite oneanother on the different sides. As can be seen, “crawling movements” ofthe partial element 12 are thus possible in a plane, e.g. in the X- orZ-direction and perpendicular thereto in the Y- or tangential direction.

The construction of a stack 15 including piezoelectric elements 14 canbe seen on an enlarged scale from FIG. 3. As can be seen, the stack 15includes three parts 14 a, 14 b, 14 c of piezoelectric elements 14,wherein e.g. stack 14 a acts as stroke elements, 14 b as shear elementsand 14 c as shear elements in a direction directed orthogonally withrespect to the stack 14 b. Via the piezoelectric elements 14 a in thestack, the stacks 15 lying alongside one another can then be moved,given corresponding activation, in such a way that during a stroke, aclamping of the partial element 12 can be effected and, upon release ofthe clamping, a first crawling step can be effected by activation of thestacks 14 b and/or 14 c.

The drive device 11 can be positioned in the projection objective 7 forexample in such a way that the Z-axis as optical axis runs parallel tothe longitudinal axis of the partial element 12, e.g. of a lens. Theoptical axis is therefore also the axis of the system. Displacements ofthe lens 10 are thus possible in the direction of the optical axis andin a direction perpendicular thereto, e.g. in a tangential direction,given corresponding arrangement of the drive devices 11 with thepiezoelectric stacks 15.

Thus, by way of example, the second part 14 b of the piezoelectricelements 14 in the Z-direction and the third part 14 c of thepiezoelectric elements 14 in the tangential direction can in each casehave its plane of action with a corresponding shearing. The part 14 a ofthe piezoelectric elements which is responsible for a stroke in thiscase moves in a radial direction or clamps the partial element 12 orreleases it for a movement of the partial element 12 cyclically.

More detailed explanations concerning the mode of action and themovement of the movable partial element 12 are given below withreferences to FIGS. 4 to 11.

It can be seen from the enlarged illustration in FIG. 3 that the firstpart 14 a of piezoelectric elements 14 is provided with a direction ofaction upon the activation of the elements which runs in the directionof the longitudinal axis 15 a of the stack 15 and thus clamps orreleases the movable partial element 12. The second part 14 b of thepiezoelectric elements 14 has, with a shear movement, a direction ofaction parallel to a predetermined direction of movement of the movablepartial element 12. A third part 14 c of the piezoelectric elements 14is likewise provided, in a shear movement, with a direction of actionwhich lies at right angles with respect to the direction of movement ofthe second part 14 b of the piezoelectric elements 14.

The embodiment of the piezoelectric elements 14 arranged in stackwisefashion in respectively three parts having different directions ofaction results in a possibility of movement for the movable partialelement 12 in two degrees of freedom.

FIG. 4 shows a configuration with a plate-type rotor as movable partialelement 12 a.

If in each case six stacks 15 are arranged above and below theplate-type rotor (the stacks below and the stationary partial element 13are not illustrated), then a movement of the movable partial element ispossible both in analog fashion and in the step mode. At least sixstacks per side should be present in order that in each case threestacks can lift off for a step, while the other stacks can move andguide the movable partial element reliably in the displacement plane. Ifsuch precise guidance is not necessary or if guidance is effected insome other way, it is also possible, if appropriate, to provide fewerstacks of piezoelectric elements on each side.

In the case of the configuration with in each case four stacks ofpiezoelectric elements 14 above and below, the movement for the planeduring a step would have to be maintained by two stacks in each case.

A simplified configuration may consist in arranging in each case threestacks above and three stacks below the movable partial element. In thiscase, however, a prestress of the movable partial element 12 is involvedand the movable part 12 can also only be moved in analog fashion. Aprestress can be achieved for example by one or more spring devices 16,as illustrated in FIG. 2. As can be seen, the movable partial element 12is in this case clamped between the two stationary partial elements 13lying opposite one another, in order to obtain reliable positioning.

FIGS. 5 a to 5 f illustrate the possibilities of movement of the movablepartial element 12 in different stages with four stacks 15.

FIG. 5 a shows the starting point, wherein the partial element 12 is ineach case fixedly clamped by the part 14 a of the piezoelectric elementsthat exert a stroke as direction of action upon activation.

FIG. 5 b illustrates the subsequent step in the movement sequence,wherein two parts 14 a with the “stroke piezos” are open and thus nolonger in engagement with the movable part 12. The two stroke piezos 14a still effecting clamping fixedly hold the movable partial element 12and can initiate a movement upon activation of the part 14 b of thepiezoelectric elements that act as “shear piezos”.

This step can be seen from FIG. 5 c.

FIG. 5 d shows the next step in the movement sequence, wherein the“stroke piezos” of the parts 14 a clamp the partial element 12 again.

FIG. 5 e shows, similarly to FIG. 5 b, how the clamping of the other twostroke piezos of the parts 14 a is released, after which, in accordancewith FIG. 5 f, the next step is effected by activation, in a mannersimilar to that explained in FIG. 5 c, of the other shear piezos of theparts 14 b.

As can be seen, the movable element 12 is thus displaced in arrowdirection A in accordance with FIGS. 5 c and 5 f.

Upon activation of the parts 14 c of piezoelectric elements that in eachcase carry out a shear stroke at right angles to the direction of actionof the piezoelectric elements of the parts 14 b, the movable partialelement 12 is moved in the same way at right angles with respect to themovement sequence explained above.

As can be seen from FIGS. 5 a-5 f and the explanation above, in this waythe partial element 12 can implement “crawling” and thus as desired adistance of e.g. 1000 μm with a resolution of 0.1 nm or more with aprecision in the nanometers range, e.g. 10 nm, whereby the opticalelement 10 to be adjusted can be moved over a relatively large distance.These values are generally sufficient for lenses in a projectionobjective. Distances of up to 10 mm or more with an accuracy of 1 μm arealso possible for optical elements e.g. in an illumination device of aprojection objective.

FIG. 4 shows an intermediate member 17, which produces the connectionbetween the movable part 12 a and the optical element, e.g. the lens 10.The intermediate member 17, instead of a direct connection to theoptical element, can also be connected as well to an inner mount inwhich the optical element is mounted (see dashed illustration bearingthe reference symbol 20).

As can be seen from FIG. 4, the intermediate member 17 is embodied as anelastic rod in order to achieve a decoupling of deformations for theoptical element.

Instead of an elastic rod or else as additional deformation decoupling,the intermediate member 17 can be connected either to the partialelement 12 a or to the optical element 10 via an articulation part 18.The articulation part 18 can be embodied as a solid articulation.

FIG. 6 shows, in a plan view of a lens 10 as optical element, threedrive devices 11 arranged uniformly over the circumference of the lensand including in each case a plurality of stacks 15 having piezoelectricelements 14. As can be seen, in this case the three intermediate members17 in accordance with FIG. 4 act radially on the lens 10. Uponrespective activation of the third parts 14 c of piezoelectric elementsin the stacks 15, this gives rise to a tangential direction of actionand hence a rotation of the lens 10 (also see FIG. 4). Upon activationof the second parts 14 b, this gives rise to a displacement inaccordance with B, C or D parallel to the optical axis, to be precise ina manner dependent on the parts 14 b respectively activated in the threedrive devices 11. In this way, the lens 10 can be displaced in a polarcoordinate system in a plane at right angles with respect to the Z-axisand thus with respect to the optical axis. It goes without saying that adisplacement in an orthogonal coordinate system, namely anX-/Y-coordinate system, is also possible by mathematical transformationof the polar coordinate system with a corresponding open-loop andclosed-loop control.

In this configuration, a displacement parallel to the Z-axis is thusachieved by the parts 14 b of the piezoelectric elements 14 (also seeFIG. 4).

If the three drive devices 11 are activated to different intensities orpartly in opposing fashion, then in addition to the three translationaldegrees of freedom for a movement of the lens 10 three rotationaldegrees of freedom and thus a total of six degrees of freedom arepossible. Thus, in this way for example rotations or tiltings both aboutthe Z-axis and about the X-/Y-axes are possible.

As can furthermore be seen from FIG. 6, one or more sensors 19 can alsobe provided at the optical element, the sensors detecting the positionof the lens 10 and the movement sequence upon activation of one or moreof the linear drives 11. Exact open-loop control or else closed-loopcontrol of the movement of the lens is possible in this way.

The sensors 19 need not be provided at the lens 10, but rather can alsobe provided at any other locations, such as e.g. the movable partialelements 12 or the intermediate members 17, in order to detect theposition and the movement of the lens. A further possibility consists indetecting the position and the movement of the optical element that ismeasured in the image itself. This means that the imaging or wavefrontis monitored for image aberrations downstream of the projectionobjective.

The lens mounting illustrated in FIG. 6 with the possibility ofadjustment of the lens corresponds practically to a bipodal or hexapodalmounting.

As mentioned above, the optical element can be moved both in analogfashion and in step-by-step fashion. Fewer stacks 15 havingpiezoelectric elements 14 are necessary in the case of analog operation.What is disadvantageous in this case, however, is that only a movementwithin a predetermined range is possible, in which case thepiezoelectric elements always have to be activated in order to complywith a preselected position or position to be selected. One advantage ofthis configuration, however, is that very exact displacements andpositionings become possible in this way.

The advantage of a step-by-step displacement with a corresponding highernumber of stacks 15 having piezoelectric elements 14 is that thepossibilities of movement for the optical element to be manipulated aresignificantly greater and that the piezoelectric elements can be atleast partly deactivated after the end of the movement.

FIG. 7 shows an embodiment similar to the embodiment according to FIG. 6with a decoupling example of the lens 10 with an inner ring 12 as mountas movable partial element and outer mount 13 as stationary partialelement.

As can be seen, three drive devices 11 are arranged in a mannerdistributed uniformly on the circumference between the inner ring 12 andthe outer mount 13, which are in each case provided with a stack havingpiezoelectric elements 14. Each stack here can have a configuration asillustrated in FIG. 3. Displacements of the inner ring 12 with the lens10 in an axial and in a tangential direction as well as tiltings androtations can then be carried out with each stack of piezoelectricelements 14. This means that manipulations in a total of six degrees offreedom are possible. In this case, the axial direction represents theoptical axis.

On the outer circumference, the piezo-stacks 14 are in each case fixedlyconnected to the inner circumference of the outer mount 13. The linkingof the piezo-stacks 14 to the inner circumference is effected with theinner ring 12 in each case via leaf springs 21 for decoupling. The leafsprings 21 are configured such that they are soft in a radial directionand stiff in an axial and a tangential direction. They are likewise softin the axial and tangential moment directions. The piezo-stacks 14 arein each case fixed in the central region of the leaf spring 21 (in amanner not illustrated more specifically). The connection of the leafspring 21 to the inner ring 12 is effected in each case at the ends ofthe leaf spring e.g. via holes 23 with a screw connection.

If all three drive devices 11 are moved in the same sense perpendicularto the optical axis tangentially, this gives rise to a tangentialmovement of the lens 10. If only two drive devices 11 are moved in atangential direction, then this results in a displacement in the X- orY-direction since, on account of the elastic or soft mounting of thethird drive device 11 via the leaf springs 21, this can flex, wherebythe lens can correspondingly be displaced in a plane perpendicular tothe optical axis. Upon activation of the three drive devices in thesecond direction of movement of the stacks 15 including thepiezoelectric elements 14, the optical element 10 is displaced in thedirection of the optical axis.

If the three drive devices 11 are activated to different intensitiesand/or in different directions of movement, tiltings are also possible.

By virtue of the arrangement of the three drive devices 11 uniformly onthe circumference of the lens with a 120° separation in each case,movements of the optical element in a total of six degrees of freedom (3linear and 3 rotational) are thus possible, even though each drivedevice 11 with the stacks 15 alone is movable in each case only in twodegrees of freedom.

FIG. 9 shows a configuration similar to the exemplary embodimentaccording to FIG. 7, in which case the outer mount 13 has been omittedfor simplification.

Instead of a decoupling of the inner ring 12 with the lens 10 via leafsprings 21, in this case a monolithic decoupling is provided such thatlongitudinal slots 27 running continuously in the axial direction arefitted in the inner ring 12 in each case in the region of the linking ofthe drive devices with the piezoelectric elements 14. In this case, thelength of the longitudinal slots 27 is chosen such that thepiezoelectric elements 14 are linked to the inner ring 12 in each caseonly via very thin-walled wall parts 28 situated in each case at theends of the longitudinal slots 27 between the latter and the outercircumferential wall of the inner ring 12. In this way, the same effectas with the leaf springs 21 is achieved upon activation of the threedrive devices 11.

FIG. 10 shows a possibility of use similar in nature to that describedin FIG. 2. In contrast to the configuration according to FIG. 2,however, in this case the movable partial element 12 is embodied in theform of a rotor in curved fashion rather than in linear fashion and isthus suitable in accordance with its curvature for very large rotationalmovements, e.g. >1.5°. The rotor 12 as movable element in this case isonce again situated between two stationary partial elements 13, which,in the case of a projection objective 7, for example, can be the housingthereof. The same applies to a use in an illumination device 3.

Via the stacks 15 having the piezoelectric elements 14, upon activationthereof, rotational movements in arrow direction 29 in the form of atangential circumferential movement and axial movements in accordancewith arrow 30 (out of or into the plane of the drawing) cancorrespondingly take place. In the case of a corresponding incorporationin a projection objective 7, axial movements mean movements in thedirection of the optical axis.

FIG. 11 illustrates a mounting of a lens 10 in a mount 24 in side view(partly in section). The mount 24 as inner ring is connected to an outermount or a part of the objective housing as stationary partial element13′ via a drive device 11. The drive device 11 can be constructed in thesame way as the drive device illustrated in FIG. 2 with a movablepartial element 12 as rotor. The partial element 12 lies between aplurality of stacks 15 arranged at a distance from one another and eachhaving a plurality of piezoelectric elements 14 or 14 a, 14 b and 14 cwhich effect corresponding forces on the movable partial element 12 forthe displacement thereof in a plurality of degrees of freedom. Thestacks 15 having the piezoelectric elements 14 are in turn in each casesupported on stationary partial elements 13 which are in turn fixedlyconnected to the housing part 13′, e.g. a housing wall of the projectionobjective 7.

As in the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 9, the three drivedevices 11 are arranged in a manner distributed uniformly over thecircumference of the mount 24. In this case, too, a connection to themount 24 can be effected via a decoupling in the form of leaf springs,as in the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 7, or longitudinalslots 28, as in the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 9.

The connection of the rotors 12 in each case as movable parts of thethree drive devices 11 to the inner ring 24 is effected in each case viaa radially extending connecting member 31, which is led through a cutoutin the wall of the stationary housing part 13 with play in such a waythat movements of the inner ring 24 and thus of the lens 10 becomepossible. In this case, in terms of their effect, the connecting members31 correspond to the intermediate members 17 in FIG. 4.

An end stop 25 can in each case be provided above and below the rotor asmovable part 12, the end stop being fixed to the stationary housing part13. The upper and lower stops 25 at the same time also constituteprotection against “falling out”, e.g. during transport.

Via the three drive devices 11 arranged in a manner distributed over thecircumference as direct drives, movements of the inner ring 24 and thusof the lens 10 in 6 degrees of freedom are possible in the case of aconstruction of the piezo-stacks in accordance with FIG. 3.

For gravitational force compensation, one or more spring devices 26arranged in a manner distributed over the circumference can be arrangedbetween the stationary housing part 13′ and the inner ring 24, thespring devices counteracting with adjustable force, if appropriate, thegravitational force from the weight of the inner ring 24 and lens 10. Byvirtue of this configuration, the drive devices 11 with thepiezoelectric elements 14 do not have to apply any weight force duringthe adjustment of the lens 10.

Instead of a spring device 26 it is also possible, of course, to providea Lorenz actuator, a pneumatic system or similar devices forcompensation of the weight force.

1. An apparatus, comprising: an illumination device; a projectionobjective; an optical element; and a manipulator, comprising: a drivedevice for the optical element, the drive device, comprising: a movableelement; and a stationary element movable relative to the movableelement, wherein: the optical element is in the illumination device orthe projection objective; the drive device is configured so that theoptical element can be moved up to 1000 μm with an accuracy of 10 nm inat least two degrees of freedom if the optical element is in theprojection objective; the drive device is configured so that the opticalelement can be moved up to 10 mm with an accuracy of 1 μm in at leasttwo degrees of freedom if the optical element is in the illuminationdevice; and wherein the apparatus is a projection exposure apparatus. 2.The projection exposure apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein, duringuse of the manipulator, precisely three drive devices act uniformly on acircumference of the optical element or a mount of the optical elementso that movements in six degrees are possible.
 3. The projectionexposure apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the three drivedevices are piezoelectric elements.
 4. The projection exposure apparatusas claimed in claim 2, wherein the three drive devices are configured toact as direct drives on the circumference of the optical element.
 5. Theprojection exposure apparatus as claimed in claim 3, further comprisingdecoupling elements that connect the three drive devices to the mount ofthe optical element.
 6. The projection exposure apparatus as claimed inclaim 5, wherein the decoupling elements are leaf springs.
 7. Theprojection exposure apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein thedecoupling elements have longitudinal slots introduced into the mount inthe region of the drive devices, and wherein the drive devices areconnected to the mount via thin-walled wall elements between thelongitudinal slots and an outer circumference of the mount.
 8. Theprojection exposure apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the movableelement is a curved rotor, and piezoelectric elements are arranged onboth sides of the curved rotor.
 9. The projection exposure apparatus asclaimed in claim 1, further comprising a weight force compensationdevice between the stationary element and an element selected from thegroup consisting of the optical element and a mount of the opticalelement.
 10. The projection exposure apparatus as claimed in claim 9,wherein the weight force compensation device comprises a spring device,a Lorenz actuator or a pneumatic device.
 11. The projection exposureapparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein: a plurality of stackscomprising piezoelectric elements are arranged between the stationaryand movable elements; and in each stack of piezoelectric elements, afirst set of piezoelectric elements has a direction of action at leastapproximately perpendicular to a direction of movement of the opticalelement; and in each stack of piezoelectric elements, a second set ofpiezoelectric elements has a direction of action in the direction ofmovement of the optical element.
 12. The projection exposure apparatusas claimed in claim 11, wherein: one of the stacks of piezoelectricelements has a third set of piezoelectric elements; the third set ofpiezoelectric elements has a direction of action at least approximatelyperpendicular to the direction of action of the first set ofpiezoelectric elements in the one of the stacks of piezoelectricelements; and the direction of action of the third set of piezoelectricelements has an angle with respect to the direction of action of thesecond set of piezoelectric elements of the one of the piezoelectricstacks.
 13. The projection exposure apparatus as claimed in claim 12,wherein the angle is approximately a right angle.
 14. The projectionexposure apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein the projectionexposure apparatus comprises at least three stacks of piezoelectricelements are arranged a distance from one another.
 15. The projectionexposure apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein the projectionexposure apparatus comprises at least six stacks of piezoelectricelements arranged a distance from one another.
 16. The projectionexposure apparatus as claimed in claim 15, wherein the at least sixstacks of piezoelectric elements are arranged to provide a step-by-stepmovement of the movable element.
 17. The projection exposure apparatusas claimed in claim 11, wherein each stack of piezoelectric elementscomprises three sets of piezoelectric elements which can be activated indifferent directions of movement.
 18. The projection exposure apparatusas claimed in claim 11, wherein in each stack piezoelectric elements isprovided for one direction of movement or two directions of movement.19. The projection exposure apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein themovable element is arranged at a location selected from the groupconsisting of the optical element, a mount to which the optical elementis connected, a part connected to the optical element, and a partconnected to the mount.
 20. The projection exposure apparatus as claimedin claim 1, wherein the drive device comprises a lever-like intermediatemember.
 21. The projection exposure apparatus as claimed in claim 20,wherein the lever-like intermediate member is elastic.
 22. Theprojection exposure apparatus as claimed in claim 20, wherein thelever-like intermediate member comprises an articulation part.
 23. Theprojection exposure apparatus as claimed in claim 22, wherein thearticulation part is solid.
 24. The projection exposure apparatus asclaimed in claim 1, wherein the movable element is prestressed withrespect to the stationary element.
 25. The projection exposure apparatusas claimed in claim 24, further comprising a spring device to providethe prestress.
 26. The projection exposure apparatus as claimed in claim1, further comprising a sensor configured to determine a position of themovable element.
 27. The projection exposure apparatus as claimed inclaim 26, wherein the sensor is provided at the optical element, thesensor is provided at a mount for the optical element, or the sensor isprovided at a part connected to the mount for the optical element.
 28. Amethod, comprising: positioning and adjusting an optical element in aprojection exposure apparatus for microlithography using a manipulatorcomprising a drive device comprising a group of piezoelectric elements,the group of piezoelectric elements comprising first, second and thirdsets of piezoelectric elements, wherein: the group of piezoelectricelements acts on a movable element of the drive device; thepiezoelectric elements move the movable element relative to a stationaryelement of the drive device via the second set of piezoelectric elementswith a direction of action at least approximately perpendicular to adirection of movement; the piezoelectric elements move the movableelement relative to the stationary element of the drive device via thesecond set of piezoelectric elements with a direction of action in adirection of movement; and the movable element is moved in two differentdirections of movement by the third set of piezoelectric elements with adirection of action at least approximately perpendicular to thedirection of action of the first set of piezoelectric elements and at anangle with respect to the direction of action of the second set ofpiezoelectric elements.
 29. The method as claimed in claim 28, whereinthe third set of piezoelectric elements produces a movement at an angleat least approximately at a right angle with respect to the direction ofmovement of the second set of piezoelectric elements.
 30. The method asclaimed in claim 28, wherein a movement of the optical element isperformed by at least three stacks of piezoelectric elements which arearranged at a distance from one another.
 31. The method as claimed inclaim 28, wherein three drive devices are arranged in a mannerdistributed over a circumference of the optical element, therebyallowing six degrees of freedom for the adjustment, positioning andtilting of the optical element depending on activation of thepiezoelectric elements.